Between A Grandmother and Grandchild
by KatLeePT
Summary: Ruby wants to run away. Spoilers, but not for the third season.


She slams the door on her grandmother bellowing at her, her whole being enflamed with fury. Her dark eyes glower; her red lips pull back in a savage growl. She wants to leave. She wants to just stomp on the gas, tear out of Storybrooke, and never look back. The others are afraid of the border, but Red views it as an opportunity to forget everything she is and has done and start over anew.

She's thought of running away since she was little. She wouldn't have her grandmother there. She wouldn't have her reputation, or that of her family's. She wouldn't have her friends, but she also wouldn't be fighting for her life or theirs every time she turned around. She doesn't know if magic exists beyond Storybrooke. She might actually, finally get rid of the curse.

_It's not a curse._ She remembers all the clan taught her, but despite their vows and beliefs, the wolf is a curse at times. The wolf is more than just an animal; it's the fury in her now, clawing its way to a crescendo. She can fill her eyes changing as her hands claw at her steering wheel.

She shouldn't be this angry at her grandmother. She shouldn't be so furious at an old woman who's just trying to protect her and has placed her life on the line to protect hers more times than she cares to remember. But she is. She could eat her own grandmother if she ever let this fury go.

Her growl turns to a whimper as she tries to keep from howling. She doesn't want to wolf, not now, not here. She wants to be herself, whoever that girl who she's still trying to figure out is. She wants to enjoy her Friday night, even if she has to work. Her friends will be in later. She can steal a drink with Snow and Grumpy, maybe even catch a kiss or more with somebody after closing.

But right now, it's so hard to think for the anger clouding her judgement. A glimmer of crystal catches her eye, and Ruby turns toward the wolf she keeps dangling from her mirror. She reaches up, grabbing it and almost breaking it. She stares at the crystal statue.

She remembers telling Gus, before he was killed, that she kept it because she liked it. She does like the decoration, but there's a far more important reason why keeps it handy. She gazes at its crystal body and forces herself to think. She remembers Gus. She remembers how he was killed and how Charming helped her to clear her name, how he trusted her despite her wolf, how he and Granny both laid their lives on the line to save hers.

She remembers back to when Snow faced her wolf. She was unafraid of her, trusting and believing that her friend was still there. And before her, there was Peter, sweet, innocent Peter who had looked good enough that he could have made any good girl go bad . . . But she'd already been bad.

Ruby hangs her head in shame, and Red cries as the fur that's began to grow over her flesh reverses her pathway. Her claws seep back into fingernails, and her eyes turn dark once more instead of yellow. Peter had believed in her. She had wanted so much to build a life with him, and she had fought with her grandmother over her desire to be with him. But Granny had been right. If she'd listened to her, her best friend, the love of her life, would still be alive now.

She doesn't know how long she stays in her car, her head down, tears flooding down her face while remembering and holding to that tiny statue. Eventually, there comes a knock on her door. She ignores it the first two times, but then she hears Snow's strong voice. "Either open up or I'm going to let LeRoy chop it down with his axe."

Ruby sniffs. She smiles through her tears. She laughs as she dries them, and finally, she looks up to see her friends gathered around her car. Hesitantly, she opens the door. Knowing that Snow and Charming will pull her out if she goes back in, she steps out but won't make eye contact with any one yet.

Snow hugs her; Charming shuts the door, then pats her shoulder. "Full moon's tomorrow night, Red," LeRoy speaks, his gruff voice belying his caring heart. "Let's say we get drunk tonight?"

She smiles, the last of her tears vanishing as she looks first into Snow's smiling and reassuring face. "First round's on me."

The Dwarves give a chorus of enthusiastic shouts. Charming pats her shoulder again, and Snow leads the way back into Granny's. Ruby and Granny's eyes meet the moment she steps back into the diner. Granny says nothing but tosses her a rag. Ruby catches it deftly and without argument. She might have to work, but at least, tonight, she's surrounded by friends and who will keep her from killing any one for another night.

Later that night, as Granny's making her final rounds, she comes back the table Ruby is cleaning. Her granddaughter doesn't look up, but she hears the words she murmurs, "Thank you." No matter the anger each holds, no matter what dangers may come, they both know she'll be there, doing her best to steer Ruby straight and keep Red on the right path.

Granny stops and smiles, but when Ruby does look up, it's clear that the girl doesn't want to admit she said anything. Her grandmother smiles at her. "Don't forget to lock up," she tells her and drops her keys, with trust, into Red's hand. Ruby takes the keys, hoping her grandmother won't find out she's closing early and hoping, too, though she'll never admit it, that she'll be there the next time some one like Peter, and some one very much like herself, needs saving.

The End


End file.
